Step by step instructions to a clean bathroom. Good tips!

bathroom cleaning ideas

Earlier this week I talked about my efforts to "throw in the {paper} towel" in 2012. It got a lot of people talking! I was surprised at how many people were already doing this...and had been for some time. Denise from Ark was one of them and left some very interesting insights in the comments section. You should read them... after this of course. :-) But the thing that made me sit up and take notice was her comment that she had cleaned houses for 20 years followed by her detailed "how-to" clean a bathroom quickly and efficiently, using only THREE paper towels! Sign me up!! I was so impressed I asked her if she would mind if I shared her routine with all of you, and she was kind enough to agree. As I told her, I've never quite known how to go about EFFICIENTLY cleaning the whole bathroom at one time. I usually end up deep cleaning one area at a time because I don't REGULARLY clean the whole thing. I won't even try to improve on what she wrote (not that it's even possible...AMATEUR cleaner that I am)....except I am going to put it into list form for easy reference later. :-) "How To Clean A Bathroom Like A Pro" by Denise in Ark....who, before beginning a well-deserved retirement, cleaned 15 to 20 bathrooms a week for 20 years! Step 1. Swish the toilet with the toilet scrub brush, then prop the brush under the seat to drain. (Brilliant!) Step 2. Spray the toilet (and brush) top to bottom with disinfectant. Let sit. (She doesn't mention what kind of disinfectant...I personally use 1/2 water; 1/2 vinegar in a spray bottle. Vinegar is a great natural AND CHEAP disinfectant and deodorizer.) Step 3. Using the same disinfectant, spray the sinks, faucets and counters. Step 4: Spray the mirror and use a wet (but not drippy!) microfiber cloth and wash the mirror well. Leave it wet while wiping and rinsing the sinks and counters. (This is like the 3rd time this week someone has told me about cleaning with microfiber cloths! Must look into this further.) Step 5: Wring the rag out really well and wipe up the excess water. First from the mirror, then from the sink. At this point everything should be dry enough that a wad of about 3 of the cheapest possible paper towels will buff a shine on everything (starting with the mirror and working down.) Step 6: Go back to the toilet. Use some toilet paper to wipe anything crusty, nasty or hairy (her words! not mine!) and drop it back in the bowl. Then use the same now-damp paper towels to wipe the toilet, starting at the tank lid and moving down from "cleanest" to dirtiest. Flush. Drop the towels in the trash can and set the toilet brush down on top of them to let it drain some more. Step 7: By the time you finish washing the shower (repeat steps 4 and 5), the brush will be dry enough that it won't leave disgusting drippy water in the brush holder. (According to Denise, she has YET to clean even the *cleanest* house and not find a disgusting toilet brush holder. GUILTY!) And there you have it... how to clean a bathroom like a pro! I don't know why...but for me it's so helpful for someone to spell it out step-by-step like that. According to Denise, this technique goes so quickly that it's what she does as regular daily housecleaning, which means that the bathroom doesn't get counted on "housecleaning day" because it's always in good shape. One final tip from Denise: She keeps an old towel hanging in the bathroom to be used solely for wiping down the shower. When she gets out of the shower, she uses this towel to soak up most of the water and then grabs a hand towel to finish drying the walls. It takes about 30 seconds; dirt, minerals, and soap scum that might otherwise build up never get the chance, and the shower is never *not* clean. The towel then gets hung back up and used again until it's time to wash a load of towels. I'm tellin ya...this lady has got this whole thing dialed in! Thank you Denise! My family and bathroom thank you as well. :-) ONE MORE....ONE GOOD THING....... This was probably the tenth time I'd heard someone mention microfiber cloths for cleaning. Wait a minute....aren't microfiber cloths for washing and drying your car?? Or wiping off your computer screen? Not anymore! I did a little research tonight...and you lucky readers are about the find out what all the hype is about! Fabrics made with microfibers are exceptionally soft and hold their shape well. They clean and dust like magic. The miracle fibers pick up everything leaving your glass, mirrors, counter tops, furniture, etc., instantly clean and shiny! Microfiber towels can hold up to eight times their weight in water plus have an exceptional ability to absorb oils. (No wonder they are so popular for car maintenance!) In many household cleaning applications (washing floors, furniture, etc.) microfiber cleaning fabrics can be used without detergents or cleaning solutions! I know what's on my shopping list today! Now let's go clean those bathrooms like PROS!